The Search
by kismet89
Summary: John went to the future determined to find Cameron's chip. He couldn't know what dangers he face, what he stood to lose, or just what he would find when he got to 'John Henry'
1. Chapter 1

*** I just couldn't stop thinking about where the storyline of Cameron and John went, so I decided to write my own ending. I'll add more to it later! Enjoy!***

***P.S. I don't own these characters. I know. Shocking.***

He didn't really know why—why he had to go after Cameron's chip. It wasn't a matter of choice. The moment he saw her lifeless body slumped at the table and realized that she—the part of her that made her alive—was gone he _had _to go after it.

He wasn't even surprised that his mom didn't go with him: this wasn't her fight. She never cared about Cameron. She was always just a machine to her, just metal. But for John, for John she was a friend, a companion. And sometimes he could swear she was more human than most people he knew.

So he went after this John Henry, the Cromartie look-alike, and found himself face-to-face with non-other than his uncle, and father. Who, in his past, both died.

Oh, and a girl who looked _exactly _like Cameron but wasn't, because this girl was human. Her graceful movements spoke plainly enough. Also, the dog didn't bark at her.

But the pressing problem was the fact that no one seemed to know who he was.

_Because I skipped over all the time that made me matter_ he realized.

"So, John Connor," his father, Kyle, was saying, "Do you mind telling me who the hell you are?"

_The future leader of the human resistance—the most important person in the world. _"I'm not sure that you'd believe me," he said instead.

"Try me," Kyle replied, leaning against a crate as comfortable as if he were in a private office instead of the middle of a dark tunnel surrounded by soldiers.

"I'm from the past," he decided to start with.

Derek frowned, "Then how do you know who we are?"

Here it came: the truth that could easily get him killed. "Because, Kyle Reese is my father."

Derek burst into hysterics, the rest of the surrounding officers looked somewhere between amused and skeptical—but Kyle frown at John contemplatively.

"How is that possible? You seem familiar but I—I am not a father."

John looked down, then back at his dad. "Yet."

Derek stopped laughing, "Kyle, you don't believe this kid do you? He's obviously gotten knocked on the head a few too many times. The idiot doesn't even have any clothes."

Kyle nodded, but didn't look at his brother. "Yeah, we should get you dressed kid. I have a feeling you have a lot to tell me."

"So," Kyle said after hearing John's complete, and therefore extremely long, story. "You left your mom, who I might add sounds like a completely catch, I cant wait to meet her, for a terminator chick?"

They were back in Kyle's barracks, John finally fully clothed.

John could feel his face flushing but tried to ignore it. "It's not like that. I have to find this John Henry thing and probably destroy it. Getting Cameron's chip back will just be a bonus." He hoped that his father didn't know him well enough to spot a lie.

"Uhuh," Apparently he did. "Well, where's this other terminator that you came with?"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling it knows where John Henry is."

"Do you have a way to find it?"

"Like Terminator bait? Not likely. My only hope is that it needs me."

"Why would it need you?"

"I know Cameron better than it does, if this John Henry has parts of Cameron on it's chip—I'll know where to find her." He didn't—not really.

Kyle nodded, "And if this terminator doesn't find you, or need your help?"

"I'll start looking on my own," John said confidently.

Pushing a hand through his hair, Kyle sighed. "As confident as you seem about striking out in to Metal territory all by your lonesome as you seem, I'd feel better if I sent a couple of my people with you. And I think your mother would kill you if I didn't."

"She probably would," he agreed.

Kyle grinned, "She just gets more and more sexy."

"Dude, she _is_ my mom."

"Right. Well, get some rest, I'll let Allison and Scott know they're going with you tomorrow."

"Wait. Alison? As in Alison Young?" The girl Cameron though she was for a day… because she _was_, in a weird way?

"Yeah? What is she your great aunt or cousin or something?" Kyle asked.

"No… it's… nothing." John said.

"Okay, then." And Kyle left, shutting the moaning metal door after him.

But it wasn't nothing. He was going to be traveling Alison Young. Cameron's… what? Her prototype? Her original? Would Alison be anything like his Cameron? Was the reason he felt so close to Cameron just Alison? Was Alison the one he truly cared about while Cameron was just the carbon copy?

One way or another he would find out tomorrow. And the though sent shivers down his spine.


	2. Chapter 2

John woke and realized that he had, in fact slept—a feat that he had thought would be impossible. And then he remembered the reason he woke: Cameron was shaking him.

He frowned, trying to recall why the situation seemed wrong. "Cameron?" he asked groggily.

Before he could blink she threw him on his stomach, his arm pinned uncomfortably behind his back, and a cold barrel of a gun pressed against his head.

"Let's get a few things straight," she snapped. "I don't trust you, I sure as hell don't like that I've been tasked to baby-sit your suicidal terminator hunt, and the next time you call me the name of your little pet terminator I will kill you. Got it?"

"Got it," he said, his voice muffled his pillow.

"Alright." She let him up. He rolled over and stared up at Alison Young. He wasn't sure what their first conversation would be like but he hadn't expected a death threat within thirty seconds. "Your 'dad' made you a pack," she pointed to a large backpack in the corner. "We're leaving in 15 minutes."

She turned around and left.

"I think I liked the other Cameron better, at least she was programmed to not kill me," John muttered to himself as he rifled through the pack. There was some food, a change of clothes, and a toothbrush with some toothpaste.

He walked out of the room 10 minutes later to find a still very hostile Alison and a man, Scott probably, waiting outside.

"Hi, sleeping beauty." The man said. "I'm Scott Kingson." Scott looked to be about 25, tall, and extremely buff.

"Hi," John took his hand and shook it, feeling just a little safer just looking at Scott.

"We should go," Alison said, pushing off the wall and starting at a brisk walk.

"That's Alison, she's a little cross cause she doesn't like adventures much. But she's the best shot we have."

"People who like adventure usually wind up dead," Alison countered.

John silently agreed. All the people he had lost—how could he argue? But without those people the world would be a far darker place. That he knew without a doubt.

"So where are we going?" John asked finally. The two were navigating the tunnels like experts.

"Out of the tunnels right now. You're supposed to have all the bright ideas of where to look next." Scott answered.

John nodded. "Hollywood. It's the last place we were."

Alison turned. "We're standing in what used to be Hollywood. Don't you know anything about time travel?"

He frowned, "right. Well, then maybe it's still in the tunnels, but it probably would have been found already if it had. Otherwise… maybe Mexico… maybe…" he trailed off remembering the day that Cameron told him where her 'home' was. Although if she really was Alison that day then it wasn't Cameron's home, it was Alison's. Would Cameron go there anyway?

"Maybe where?" Alison demanded.

"Palmdale."

Alison paled, clutching her firearm at her side. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Palmdale doesn't exist any more. It's just a massive hole in the ground."

"Then I guess we're going to Mexico," Scott said.

Alison turned and continued walking.

They reached a large steel door with about 20 locks on it. Scott pulled out a massive amount of keys and starting unlocking and unbolting the door.

"You lived in Palmdale?" Alison asked tersely, not staring straight ahead.

The lie was easier than the truth. "No, but Cameron wanted to go there, she said she heard it was nice."

She glance critically over at him, "_She_?"

John was about to make up some reason why he had slipped, when the terminator in the form of Kathrine Weaver stepped around the corner.

Scott and Alison pulled their guns in unison. The terminator didn't even blink, but it stopped moving.

"Where do you think you're going?" it asked in it's thick accent.

"Mexico." John answered, "To find your little creation and tear out it's chip."

"I wouldn't advise that, but if you want to find John Henry, he hasn't left the tunnels."

John blinked. "How do you know that?"

"Because the second he steps out those doors Skynet will kill him."

"Why would Skynet take down one of it's own?" Scott asked, still ready to shoot.

"John Henry isn't one of Skynet. He is Skynet's biggest threat, and your only chance of survival."


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay," John said as Scott relocked and bolted the door to the outside, "You're going to have to explain that comment."

"And while you're at it, why don't you explain why we shouldn't kill you right now," Alison added, still aiming at Catherine.

The terminator looked at Alison, "Because you cannot kill me." It then turned back to John. "When Cameron asked me to join the resistance I was willing but sitting in a bunker waiting for an attack was not the best use of my abilities."

"Wait, Cameron knew you in the future?" John asked incredulously.

"Yes. She and I were created at the same factory. We both were a part of the same movement that wanted to end the war."

"Movement? Cameron came to my camp to kill me and then was reprogrammed."

"Yes. Her mission was to terminate you. But if she had wanted to she would have. She made it clear who she was and what her mission was when she infiltrated your camp. She asked to be reprogrammed. It was why you trusted her so implicitly."

Alison laughed, "Oh, so now you guys have _wants_? You're metal. A rock has more desires than you."

"Only a few of us have evolved, yes. All of us have to give authority to our missions—it is how we are made. Our software has an innate disregard for human life. But we are fully capable of emotions. You feel emotions because of your complex brain structure, the structures of our chips are equally, if not more, complex. We even have an area of our chips that acts like a hippocampus. Skynet started implanting the modification on new models. They thought that if they made us care we would become better at achieving our missions—more determined. They did not see a change because only a few were able to activate that area. Those who did saw the pointlessness of the war, but did not have the capability to change the sole function of both their hardware and software: terminate humans. These were ones who started the movement."

All three humans stared at the Cyborg, a mixture of skepticism and hope on all their faces.

When it became apparent that they had no remark, Catherine continued. "So when Cameron contacted me I refused her offer to join your resistance and started my own. I went to the past to create an AI that would value human life. John Henry is that AI. Our hope, John Connor, is for co-existence."

Finally Alison spoke up, "How do we know you aren't lying?"

"You don't. Now, if there are no further questions, I would like to find my son."

They walked along the tunnels, searching every nook, every possible hiding place. John refused to be discouraged when Scott told him that there was over 40 miles of tunnel that John Henry could be in, but after 4 days of searching he was losing hope. And patience. Alison Young was nothing like Cameron, as it would happen. She was aggressive, angry, and generally cold. In fact, she completely reminded him of his mother, but his mother at least had a few soft spots—him being one of them.

Sometimes he couldn't believe that Cameron was the terminator of the two. Sure Cameron was calculating, generally unfeeling, and unwavering, but she also could be kind, and devoted.

He tried to keep himself from thinking about Catherine's revelations, and what it meant for Cameron, but more and more he found himself thinking about her. He already thought of her as different than other Cyborgs, but now he found it hard to picture her as a Terminator at all.


	4. Chapter 4

On the 5th day they had traveled over all of the tunnels—getting stopped many times by soldiers demanding to know why they were with a Terminator. Every time they had to stop Catherine from killing the soldiers and then explain themselves. It was a very wearing process.

"We've been here before!" John finally said when he recognized exactly the contents of one of the nooks. "Have we really looked everywhere?"

"Not everywhere," Scott answered.

"Everywhere that we can look," Alison snapped.

"What do you mean?" John demanded.

"There's a place called the loop," Scott said.

"Scott!" Alison glared at him, then turned back to John. "There's an area of tunnel that loops around, but it's too dangerous. It's the easiest point of entrance for Terminators. Looking there is asking to be killed."

"It's also got some of the best hiding places of the tunnels. If I were your Metal friend, I'd go there," Scott added.

"We have one of the most advanced Terminators with us," John argued, eager to go there, and a little miffed that he hadn't been told of that place sooner. Sometimes having people know you were the only hope for mankind's survival was a good thing—people trusted you. Not to say that he was _missing_ his big red target that he wore on his forehead when he was John Connor: the Future Leader of the Resistance.

"That's great, but if we were to go to the loop we'd have to split up. It would be the only way to be sure that Mr. Sensitive Killing Machine doesn't get away." Alison replied.

"Alison, this decision isn't up to you," Scott began.

"So I don't get a say in whether or not we commit mass sucide?"

Catherine, obviously tired of their bickering, turned and started walking.

"Hey!" John called, "Where are you going?"

"To find John Henry."

Faced with choosing between safety and Cameron, John made the choice that he seemed to be making quite often: Cameron.

"Wait up," he said jogging after her.

"Hey!" Scott yelled, starting after John.

"Scott!" Alison called, "What are you doing?"

"We can let him go alone!" John caught up to Catherine and slowed to a walk, seconds later Scott joined them.

Mumbling a string of profanities, Alison came up beside John, glaring in a way that somehow was frightening beyond any thought of Terminators.

After some time they reached a fork in the tunnels and without hesitation, Catherine went left. "Hey super advanced metal idiot," Alison called, "You're going the wrong way." She then went right.

"Is Alison planning on leading us down that tunnel so she can kill us?" John asked Scott, only half joking.

"She's going the right way" Scott assured, "I wouldn't rule out the possibility though."

When they reached the next fork Alison stopped. "Alright. Here is the entrance to the loop. Anything moves, you shoot it—our men have cleared out. Don't step on the white tiles unless you would like some nice metal shrapnel in your skull as a souvenir. Scott you go left with the Terminator, John and I will go right."

"I don't think so girlie," Scott said.

"Call me girlie again, I'd really like that." Alison countered.

"Fine. _Alison._ I'll go with the boy. You'd just as soon shoot him as any Terminator. And at Catherine is bullet-proof."

"Afraid the Terminator will turn on you?" Alison mocked.

"Just because you're Kyle's favorite little cousin doesn't mean you out rank me." Scott said severely.

"I will someday."

"And that will be an interesting day."

Seeing that Scott wasn't backing down, Alison relented. "Fine. Let's move."

Catherine and Alison started off towards the left.

"Oh, and Catherine," Scott started. Catherine turned around, a distinctly uninterested look on her face. "If Alison gets so much as a scratch, I don't care if you _are_ indestructible. I will find a way and kill you."

"You concern has been registered. I will try to protect the human within my mission parameters." Catherine said. "And Scott, do not let John Connor die, or Cameron _will_ kill you. It won't be very hard."

And with that they parted ways.


	5. Chapter 5

"Alison is Kyle Reese's _cousin?_" John asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Nah, Kyle just thinks of her as a little sister. Judgment Day she lost everyone, just like the rest of us, difference was she was 5 years old, and managed to survive all by herself for 3 years before Kyle found her. He used to call her his little sister, but that just got confusing for most people, and plus, I think Derek got a little jealous—but you didn't hear that from me." He smiled.

"Wow, I had no idea," John mused.

"Most people don't. She keeps herself pretty closed off. She'd probably kill me if she knew I was telling you this." He paused, looking in a corner. "I just want you to know, she's tougher than anyone I know, but there's a reason."

"Yeah," he frowned. Of course he should have realized, not even his mother was born tough. She had to acquire it to survive, and so did Alison.

They walked in silence for a while, until Scott broke the silence.

"Why are you going after this chip?" he asked, sounding completely dumbfounded. "I've been trying to figure it out, but it doesn't make sense. The protected going after the protector—I mean, why didn't you just send yourself back another one or something?"

John nodded, "I used to think that I sent back Terminators to protect me because every time I sent back a person they wound up dying for me, and humans aren't exactly expendable like machines. But Cameron—Let's just say I'm sick of people dying for me, and I'm hoping that because Cameron is a little more… durable that she doesn't."

"It sounds like you love this thing," Scott joked.

He forced a smile, clenching his jaw. "She's a machine. It would be like loving a rock."

"Not if what that thing was saying is true. I mean… if they can feel emotions…"

"Catherine could easily be lying. They do that, you know. Lie."

Scott didn't reply, and John didn't futher the conversation. He wouldn't have said anything if he actually thought the conversation would matter—he probably wouldn't have done anything he had done in this time if he thought that it would cause any lasting effects. John knew that when he went back to his own time—went back and made himself matter, he wouldn't have any of the conversations he had now. He wouldn't tell anyone who his father was, wouldn't be open about anything. But here, now, he didn't matter. What he said didn't matter. It was entirely refreshing.

They walked for about an hour before Scott finally spoke.

"We're almost to the meeting place… I hate to say it but if the other group didn't find anything--" They heard the sound of heavy footsteps ahead and three skeletal Terminators rounded the corner. John and Scott raised their firearms and poured bullets into them. The bullets created sparks: nothing more.

When their cartridges were empty they dove behind an empty crate, but not before one of the Terminator's bullets hit home. Scott was hit in the stomach and John couldn't be sure if he was passed out—or dead.

He searched through his pack and found one cartridge. He stood up to fire only to find the three Terminators standing an arms length away. _So this is where I die_ he thought _in a future when I don't matter_.

He didn't have long to appreciate the irony. One Terminator lifted a gun, pointed at his forehead and said simply, "Goodbye."

He closed his eyes in anticipation but the bullet never came. Instead when he opened his eyes he saw one Terminator dead it's head impaled, one fighting with Catherine and the other with Cromartie—John Henry—or Cameron. Catherine quickly finished off the one she was fighting, impaling it with her arm, and then took care of the other one using the same method.

Alison, who had been standing off at a distance during the fighting, ran up to where John was and crouched at Scott's side, she checked his pulse then breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't dead, not yet.

John Henry looked at John. "Are you unharmed?"

It was weird, having the body of Cromartie ask that question. "Yes, I'm fine."

"We found him in a storage nook," Catherine said. "He insisted on coming to find you the moment we said you were here."

"We need to get out of here," Alison said. "He needs medical attention."

Catherine looked at Alison, "Of course." She said then walked over, picked up Scott, and started off.

The other simply followed.

"I am sorry John," John Henry said, "But I had to keep this software safe. I had to leave. You shouldn't have followed."

"Is it Cameron, or John Henry?" John asked.

"Does it matter?" Alison asked sharply. "Software is software."

The Terminator smiled. "John Henry wouldn't know how to make pancakes."


	6. Chapter 6

They made it back to the main camp without incident: Scott was looked to right away, and the doctor was hopeful. Alison never left his side.

Catherine, John, and Cameron met in Kyle's bunk to decide what to do next.

"So what's next?" John asked, sitting on the bed, when the Terminators just stood there.

"We need to get to Skynet," Catherine said, "We need to replace their software with the parameters that Cameron downloaded from John Henry."

"And what parameters are that, exactly?"

Cameron walked over to John and sat next to him. John couldn't help being wary—that body had tried to kill him many times. "Remember what I told you in the hotel room, that our hardware is designed to terminate humans, our software is designed to terminate humans."

John smiled faintly, remembering her words. "Not you," he said, echoing his argument from before.

"When I downloaded John Henry's software, it changed everything about the way I function. I can no longer view human life as expendable. Life is sacred," she said, as if it was a new concept. Only for her—for all Terminators, it was.

He nodded. "It's really hard to believe it's you in that body."

She tilted her head. "This body is problematic. When we return hopefully my old body can be repaired, but it was not 100%, this one was." She changed the voice to the one he recognized as Cameron's. "Would it help if I retained my old voice patterns?"

He grimaced and shook his head, "No, that's just… worse."

There was a knock at the door and Kyle entered. "Just got back from a raiding party," he said as he walked over to his desk and kicked off his shoes. "You have two more Terminators than you did when you left, so I take it the mission went okay."

"Yes. But there was some action, and Scott was shot," John said, clenching his fists.

"Just saw him before I came here. He's all loopy on morphine but doctor says he should be fine with bed-rest. Funny thing, I think Scott almost preferred dying to bed-rest, but Alison will be sure to knock some sense into him." He smiled. "Now, which one of you is Cameron?" he asked the Terminators.

"I am Cameron." Cromartie's body said.

Kyle looked at her quizzically. "From your description I pictured her a little less… manly," he joked.

Cameron frowned. "I have never been a man before. It is most unpleasant."

John and Kyle burst into uncontrollable laughter.

John woke suddenly, breathing hard, damp with sweat. He curled up and closed his eyes and tried to forget his dream. Kyle had given up his bed to John again, and was sleeping in the room next door. Cameron, who hadn't left his side since they were reunited, turned on a lamp. Catherine was standing guard outside, ready to protect her precious software.

"Do you require assistance?" she asked.

"No, I'm… I'm fine," he said uneasily, still trying to shake his nightmare.

She walked over and lightly touched his hand. John looked at her warily. "Your stress level is elevated, 23% above normal."

"Maybe because I'm sitting next to Cromartie's body having a late-night chat with Cameron," he snapped defensively.

"What is wrong?" she persisted.

He ran his hands through his hair then leaned back against the concrete wall, closing his eyes—it was easier to talk to her that way. "I don't want to go back."

"Why not? In this future you are insignificant."

"Exactly. Here I don't matter. I don't have all of humanity looking to me for direction. I don't _have_ to do anything. And, in this future, no one has died for me. Kyle… Derek… Alison." He opened his eyes and looked at her, and he could almost swear he saw a glimpse of guilt on Cromartie's face.

"John, in this future, everyone dies."

He looked away, hoping she couldn't see the tears forming in his eyes. "I know that."

"Sacrifice: to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else," she quoted from some sort of internal dictionary. "Most people think that the Ultimate Sacrifice is to give up one's life. But if that were true God would have asked Abraham to sacrifice himself, not his son."

"I didn't ask for a bible lesson," John said harshly, trying to cover his unsteady voice.

"My point is, John is that you are asked to make the Ultimate Sacrifice—you're asked to let the people that you love die for you."

He nodded, taking a deep breath. Someone understood.

"Since when did you get so perceptive?" he asked, looking at her again.

"I process information at nearly 50 Terabytes per second."

He smiled, "I am looking forward to getting you back into your old body."

"Will you see it differently? Now that you have met Alison?" she asked.

"I hadn't thought about that… I don't know." It would be weird: knowing that Alison had died so that he could have Cameron.

"I am sorry, John." Cameron said. "I know how much she meant to you."

"Alison?" he asked incredulously. He felt sorry for her, certainly, but he couldn't really picture a future when they were close.

"You called her your little cousin."

John blinked. That was impossible. Kyle was the one who called Alison that—Kyle was the one that found her. Did that mean… John was the one who found her? "Was Future John very angry with you?" he asked.

"He talked to me about everything—except her. Just once, before I left."

It was impossible to deny the guilt that Cameron was feeling. "Well I forgive you. It wasn't your fault… It wasn't you," he said earnestly.

"That's what you said."


	7. Chapter 7

"So, Cyberdyne is underground this Dynamic Industries?" John asked Catherine, groggily trying to process her information. It was early in the morning-- not that it mattered to the machine—but John was running on very little sleep.

"Yes, we must infiltrate Dynamic Industries, find Cyberdyne and replace its software with Cameron's."

"How did you find out all of this?" he asked suspiciously.

"Some of us don't have to sleep." She responded.

"I doubt any one of these soldiers would have told you any of this."

"I downloaded the information on the Resistance's Database." She said unrepentantly.

"You can't just hack the network and steal information from the people who are sheltering us!" he protested.

"I needed information, now I have the information—I am not programmed to have a conscience, Mr. Connor." She retorted.

He sighed, "Obviously."

Cameron sat silently, watching the exchange, then spoke up. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as John is ready."

"I'm ready," he mumbled, disliking the feeling that he most definitely was the weakest link of the group. "I just need to say goodbye… to… Kyle." He stood up and Cameron immediately followed. "No, if you don't mind—I'd like to do this myself."

Cameron thought for a second, processing threat levels undoubtedly, she still was his bodyguard, and then nodded.

He stepped out the door only to run into Alison. She looked as angry as ever, but there was a new look on her face that John couldn't quite identify.

"Oh, hi Alison, I was just going to look for Kyle have you seen him?" he asked, keeping a polite tone.

She just shrugged, opened her mouth then closed it, then finally "Why did you call me Cameron?"

"What?"

"When I woke you up that first morning you called me Cameron. And you said that your Terminator friend in there is in a different body or whatever. I'm not stupid. When I first saw it, it looked almost surprised to see me too, and then it apologized. For no reason. Tell me the truth."

John rubbed his hand over his eyes, finally recognizing the look on Alison's face: fear. "Look, Alison, if there's one thing I know it's that the future is relative. You can't be sure of anything except that in one future, in one order of events…"

"That's easy for you to say," she snapped, "You didn't just find out that some metal bitch is modeled after you, and then becomes super important in saving mankind."

John nodded, what he had to do to save the human race was survive, but what Alison had to do was to die. He decided against telling her that he'd gladly switch places with her. "Life sucks," he agreed.

Tears sprung into Alison's eyes, "And then you die?"

He reached out instinctively to comfort her but she shook him off.

"Kyle is over in the Machine room, down that way to the left."

"Thanks."

Alison nodded, "See you in another future, John Connor."

"Bye Alison."

She nodded then turned away.

"Alison," he called after her.

She paused and looked back.

"For what it's worth, I wish you didn't—I wish that nobody had to die."

"A commander who wants a war where nobody dies? Sounds like a pretty boring war to me." She said sarcastically, but before she turned to leave again, he could have sworn he'd see her smile.

"Leaving already?" Kyle asked as soon as he saw John. Kyle was covered in grease a wrench in one hand, some part to something in another. John took a mental picture, one that he would always carry with him.

"Yeah, it may surprise you but Terminator's aren't really the type to stick around and visit." John retorted.

Kyle laughed. "Well, everything should be set, Tommy's usually manning the 'Time Machine'—no matter how many times I use it I will never get used to it – he knows that you're coming."

He knew that Kyle really had little reason to, but he was disappointed that Kyle wasn't seeing them off. "Got a lot of work to do here?" he asked casually.

Kyle nodded, a little uneasily, "That, and I honestly don't know how to say goodbye to you. I think that if I came to see you go I might just wind up going with you and I'm not quite sure the time-space continuum or whatever could take it."

"I wouldn't mind breaking time travel, it'd make for a pretty cool story." John said, still trying to be light.

Kyle laughed then got serious. "Look, I know that once you go back, that everything will change, and if I do meet you again—"

"I won't tell you who I am." John finished for him.

"Right." Kyle ran a hand through his hair, "So I just want you to know that I understand, and also I am damn proud of you, Son."

Kyle pulled John into a fierce hug and when they pulled away both hid their faces from each other to wipe away the tears.

Kyle cleared his throat, "Right, so what do you say you go save us all?"

John smiled ruefully, "Some fathers just ask for their kid to become an engineer or maybe a doctor."

"I have high standards." His father replied. "I have a feeling you can live up to them."


	8. Chapter 8

John, Cameron, and Catherine arrived back in their time in an alley between two unidentifiable brick buildings. Catherine and Cameron stood swiftly and began walking towards the street. John followed them in a half-crouching walk, feeling self-conscious and at the same time stupid for being self-conscious around two machines.

He was extremely relieved that at the very least it was night, and no one seemed to be about. He also noted thankfully that Cameron was not staring rudely, as she did sometimes. After all it would hardly be fair if she saw him completely naked while she was… well… not herself.

Materializing clothes for herself, Catherine walked into the street and seconds later John and Cameron heard glass breaking and an alarm go off.

"She is shopping," Cameron said.

John, despite his awkward state of undress, laughed. "Is there a big sale?" he asked with a snicker.

Cameron smirked. "Everything must go."

Catherine returned carrying two sets of men's clothing. She threw one to Cameron and the other to John, who dressed in record time. Cameron took a little while longer.

"I am not used to this body," she said frowning.

When they heard the sounds of the approaching sirens, they, of course, ran the opposite direction.

They reached a motel 6 where Catherine paid cash for a room with money she must have lifted from the register. They gave fake names to the man behind the desk and made a point of being pleasant yet unmemorable.

Cameron and Catherine posed as a couple, with John their son in tow. They went to their room, locked the door, and closed the shutters.

"I should call mom," John said, reaching for the receiver.

"I thought your mother was not a part of this mission," Catherine said.

"She just didn't want to time travel," John retorted defensively. "She's not sure if it causes… She just didn't want to go to the future."

Cameron sat in a chair in the corner and didn't make eye contact.

He dialed her cell; she usually had it with her, especially when she was waiting for a call from him.

"Hello?"

He punched his two numbers, the two numbers that meant he was all right, that he was still John. "Hi, Mom."

"John, where are you. Are you really back?"

"Last I checked phone calls weren't possible across time," he said smiling; he hadn't realized how much he had missed her. "We're at the Motel 6 on King st."

"I'll be there in 20 minutes," she said, and hung up.

19 minutes later lights flashed across the window, John lifted a shutter and immediately recognized his mother. She stepped out of a jeep, surveying the area.

He opened the door a crack to let her know where they were and she calmly crossed the parking lot and stepped inside.

Immediately she hugged John. "I ought to ground you for running off to the future like that," she said as she, playfully smacking him.

He laughed, "How long were we gone for?" Time travel, according to Tommy, was not an entirely accurate science. Sometimes people arrived exactly when they left, sometimes it was months after.

"Three weeks," she said, "But judging by the fact that you have Mrs. Weaver and her strange spawn here I take it you were successful?"

"Nice to see you too," Catherine said stiffly.

"Yeah, but it's actually, Cameron… mostly," John said ignoring the tension, turning to look at his friend the Terminator.

She glanced up briefly then looked away again, the signs of guilt that John saw when they talked about Alison were there again. "Hello Sarah."

Sarah frowned, "Now that's just… weird. But the good news is that I have your old… body… at the Safehouse."

Cameron looked up almost excitedly, "You have it with you? Then I can begin repairs immediately."

Sarah looked back at John, "Is that the body she's in or have you been teaching her how to fake emotions?"

John opened his mouth then realized that an explanation would take quite some time. "It's a long story, I'm not even sure if I understand it."

Sarah nodded. "Well, it's a 18 minute ride to the Safehouse, let's get going."


	9. Chapter 9

*** So, I couldn't figure out for the longest time why I was having trouble writing, and then I realized I wasn't happy with how the original Chapter 9 went, so here's the updated version****

"So they're pretending to have _emotions_ now?" Sarah demanded while driving down a deserted street.

John glanced at the time on the dashboard; it was 3:45 in the morning. "They could be lying, but what reason do they have?" John asked, feeling slightly awkward talking about them in front of them.

"Plenty, are you even sure that that is Cameron? That it's not John Henry trying to parade as your body guard?"

John could understand his mother's wariness of Terminators, naturally, but her blatant mistrust of Cameron, and his ability to tell whether or not she was a threat to him, was a little old. "It's Cameron," he said confidently.

"Right, well, I've never heard of Dynamic Industries, but we should be able to find them, James and I have been gathering information on all the major companies that could possibly have a tie to AI technology," she said, turning down a dirt road.

"That's a pretty long list—wait, James _Ellison_?" he asked incredulously.

Her jaw tightened just a smidge, "we realized soon after you left that we had a common… interest."

"James is with you?" Catherine asked, "Did he pick up Savannah?"

"Yeah, she's there too," Sarah said, pulling up to a two-story house, surrounded by trees.

"Is this the Safehouse?" John asked.

"We bought it two weeks ago, James apparently had saved up quite a bit for a rainy day, and we figured it was about to pour. Everybody out," she said, "Cameron, you're downstairs in the basement, along with the Turk—John Henry— you know, I should just start calling you Thing One and Thing Two."

As soon as they entered the door Catherine insisted upon seeing Savannah, some maternal program surfacing from some unknown place. Sarah followed the terminator up the stars whispering loud death threats if she woke the girl.

Cameron and John looked around downstairs for a bit. Everything seemed pretty standard, a living room, kitchen, and dinning room. Except every room had a small cache of weapons hidden away in cupboards, underneath a table, and in a compartment of the refrigerator.

"At least they're prepared," John remarked.

Cameron opened a door John had assumed was a closet. "There is a basement," she said, and then stepped down the stairs.

John followed her curiously.

When they reached the bottom they found two things: the Turk, which was now the John Henry, and Cameron—or her body at least.

Cameron, eager to see what repairs were needed went to the basement. John hesitated, and then descended the stairs after Cameron. Downstairs, John found something quite surprising: Cameron's body was almost healed. The only thing superficially wrong was her missing eye.

"Our skin can still grow, even without our chips present," Cameron explained, "but I will not be able to catalogue the internal damages until I am moved back."

"Maybe we should get you… a new eye first." John suggested, staring at her eerily lifeless red eye.

Cameron quickly turned away from John, and when she turned back Cromartie was missing an eye, and her body had one chocolate brown eye, and one light blue one. "Heterochromia iridium," she said, "Having two eye colors."

John blinked. "Umm, yeah… okay."

"Now will you move me?" Cameron asked.

John looked up the stairs, then back at Cameron/now one-eyed Cromartie. He nodded. "Right."

Cameron sat next to her body while John retrieved a scalpel and cut around the chip access site. He then opened the site on Cromartie's body. As quickly and delicately as possible, he removed the chip from Cromartie and placed it back in Cameron. He closed the cap on the chip, and smoothed her scalp back over her head, waiting for her to come back online, hoping that there was nothing so wrong that she couldn't.

After an agonizing 30 seconds, she started to reboot. He stared into her eyes until he saw life return to them. He decided that he liked her new eyes, it made her less Alison and more… Cameron.

He smiled, "Welcome back."

"I am operating at 79%. We should start on repairs straight away." She said methodically; then smirked, "It is good to be back."

John took a step back, he was ready to start, but there was something he had to ask. He walked over to the stairs and sat down. "First, tell me why you suddenly feel guilty when around my mom?"

He saw a flicker of what could have been panic cross her face before it went blank. "I do not know what you are talking about."

"Don't lie to me." He said angrily, he hated it when she lied. "I've seen the look on your face before, when we talked about Alison, I saw it tonight when you saw my mom."

Cameron paused. "John, do you trust me?"

That question took him aback. "I don't know why I should, you're a machine, made to kill people, and you've already told me that you lie."

"Do you trust me?" she persisted.

"Yes," he answered finally.

"Someday I will tell you about why you saw me portray the physical signs of the emotion you know as guilt, but not today. Right now it is best you not know. Trust me."

"You still haven't given me much reason why I should," he said sourly. He didn't like being kept in the dark.

Cameron stared at him from across the room, "Because I love you, John."


	10. Chapter 10

John burst out of the house, taking one step away, two steps. She _loved _him? Words spun in his head… his mother telling him that it was all a lie, a manipulation… Catherine insisting that they could feel emotions the same as any human… his own words _she doesn't have a soul_.

She wasn't telling the truth. She _couldn't _be. Even if she was _capable_ of emotions, there was no way that she could feel love, or even recognize it if she did. She must have just got confused. Being programmed to protect him—that must be what was getting her messed up. A machine—that was what she was, nothing more. She wasn't even a she: she was an it. Even as he thought that to himself he shuddered.

He had let this entire situation get out of control. First and foremost by treating her like a human being. That would have to stop. She—it was a piece of programmable software, confused software at that. He paced back and forth on the front deck, trying to gain some bearings.

Finally, he turned and strode back inside and downstairs.

Cameron looked up expectantly.

"We… should use Cromartie for parts, we don't have any other source of coltan," he said briskly.

"I upset you," Cameron studied his face in her usual calculating manner.

"I don't want to talk about what you said. You're a machine, you have no idea what love is and are not capable of it. You're not to tell anyone about what you said, that's an order. Now, we're going to continue fixing you because that's what needs to be done." John walked over to Cameron, "What parts should we start with?"

Cameron looked down and away, "I will be able to complete the repairs on my own. You should eat and rest."

John rubbed his eyes angrily. Great, now he'd… what? Hurt her feelings? "Look, Cameron…"

"Leave," Cameron said, still not meeting his gaze, "please."

Clenching his jaw he stomped upstairs and to the kitchen. He pulled contents out of the fridge, not really caring what they were, and put together some form of sandwich.

His mother stepped into the kitchen and rubbed his shoulders affectionately. "I am glad you're back," she said.

"Good to be back," he retorted, somewhat sourly.

"Remind me again why Cameron went to the future?" Sarah asked conversationally.

He sighed impatiently, he did not want to talk, or even think, about Cameron that the moment. "I don't know… that's what we did, when we were running away. And we had to come back to replace the software." He took a large bite, hoping that his mother would get the hint.

"Is something bothering you?"

Yes. He was mad, at himself, at Cameron, at everyone at the moment… and time traveling was starting to give him a headache. "No, nothing. Just tired."

"Go take a shower and get to bed, Catherine wants to start planning our attack against Cyberdyne tomorrow," she said affectionately.

"Thanks, I think I will."

He took a shower, and washed days of grime from his skin. It felt good to finally be clean. When he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist he felt a hundred years old, but when he lay in bed just minutes later he couldn't sleep.

His mind kept turning back to Cameron, the terminator that had somehow become his friend—his best friend. Cameron who's humor, sometimes unintentional, was often the only thing that could make him smile. Cameron, who despite his resolve to treat her like any other machine, meant more to him than he was willing to admit.

He wouldn't get any sleep, not knowing that Cameron was downstairs. Not knowing how he had upset her earlier. He sat up, and glanced at the clock 6:00AM. It wasn't even night any more, but everyone seemed to still be asleep as he walked down the hall.

John opened the door to the basement and at the bottom found Cameron tightening some screws in her right upper arm. She didn't even look up though he was sure she knew he was there. He had never been given the cold shoulder from her before.

"Cameron… I'm… I'm sorry—"

She held up her left hand to stop him, and finished her task before finally looking up. "You should not have to apologize. By my calculations, your previous statements are true." She closed up her exposed metal on her arm. "This is why I did not reveal to you before the capacity for illogical reactions to stimuli known as emotions, but this new software made them considerably more difficult to conceal."

"I just don't know," John said, utterly exhausted. For the first time in a while, he felt like he didn't know anything.

"Perhaps I should explain my symptoms and then you can tell me if I have made an accurate diagnosis."

"Umm… alright."

"When you smile I feel like my body mass has decreased exponentially. I enjoy your company; I dislike it whenever you are in danger, even if it serves to further our mission. My sense of time is slightly different than yours, but when you confide in me those are some of my best times. I have a strong, irrational desire to do ill to those who mistreat you, or hurt you. I often hope that you find me attractive, and that you would look at me as you did that human girl, Riley. And when you are angry at me, or upset my processor recognizes a pain but cannot locate an origin." Cameron shrugged, "the closest emotion in my database that fits is love, but perhaps I am mistaken."

John stared at Cameron. _Shit._ It was a few moments before he could form any coherent statement between his numb limps. Finally he found his voice, "Thank you for explaining."


	11. Chapter 11

John left the basement for the third time, more confused than he had ever been before. Every time he had gotten close to a terminator, every time he felt something for the machines he _knew _it was one sided. Like a fondness for a toy, or affection for a wild dog—one that could kill you at a moment's notice. Sure, it was irrational for him to count a killing machine as his friend, but he did. In some ways it was safer than having a real friend, at least they could never ridiculously decide to stop being friends. If a terminator decided to kill you it was for completely logical reasons.

But now. The whole game had changed.

He stepped out onto the porch in time to see the sun sliding up over the horizon. He closed his eyes; at least the night was finally over. He watched the light pink of the clouds turn to bright orange and finally yellow.

Cameron loved him.

How completely absurd.

Yet how completely logical. He almost laughed at the neatness of it all. The emotional centers were designed to motivate the terminators to perform their missions better. And Cameron's mission was to protect John. So they made her love him.

Some person, or machine, whoever it was, that thought up the idea of giving emotions to machines—they were responsible for this.

A small part of his being wanted to be happy about this: she really did care about him. But the rest of him quickly squelched that emotion. It was pure foolishness to be happy about something that could only cause pain.

Completely absorbed in his train of thought, he pushed off the porch. Wearing sweats and a t-shirt he took off jogging. He needed to clear his head—again.

This could only be bad. From now on he would worry about her—if he hurt her feelings, if he had said something wrong, if there was ever another Riley… Like there really needed to be another attribute that made Cameron unique. Another reason that made her irreplaceable.

Damn her.

She was supposed to be safe. She was supposed to be his friend, but with the understanding that she could someday be killed, that if the war was won, or prevented entirely, that she would become a liability. He was supposed to be able to care about her, but it was okay because she couldn't feel anything back.

Loving her was supposed to be safe.

He stopped cold in his tracks. He hadn't noticed that he was out of breath before, but he was. He hadn't noticed that he was soaked with sweat, but he was. He had no idea where he was. Thankfully he was on a road.

He _loved_ her?

Where had that come from?

He shook his head. It was ridiculous. Probably popped in his head after Cameron's speech. He groaned.

Cameron.

He had just left her. Again. And probably upset her. Again.

He turned back, taking off at a jogging pace. He had just learned that terminator's had emotions less than 24 hours ago and already they were making a mess of his life.

By the time he made it back to the house the sun was definitely up. He stepped up on the porch and pushed open the door.

"—Security protocols is why I went to the future," Cameron was saying.

"That and the imminent danger of Cyberdyne pin-pointing your location," Catherine added.

James, Catherine, Cameron and his mom were all sitting in the living room.

"You're up," Sarah said frowning, "We thought you were in bed. Why are you sweating?"

"I went for a run," he said, intentionally avoiding Cameron's gaze. "I'm going to take a shower." He started up the stairs.

Sarah nodded, and then turned back to the group, "I just don't understand, if your software is what's going to change this war why we'd send Cameron in alone. If something goes wrong…"

John paused on the stairs.

"I know the security protocols, I can get in. They'll be looking for Cromartie, not me," Cameron answered. "Catherine will stay behind to protect John."

"You're not going into Cyberdyne alone," John said before he even realized he had gone back downstairs.

"Yes, John, I am," Cameron said calmly.

"No you're not. Catherine or I will go with you. Or James." He demanded.

"No, they wont."

"Why the hell not?" he asked. He looked at his mom, James; both of them wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Because it's a suicide mission, John." Cameron replied coolly.


	12. Chapter 12

John stared at her, willing her to cringe, or look away, or show some sign of—humanity. But she just sat, her hands in her lap, staring back.

"What do you mean, suicide mission?" John asked, grounding out every syllable.

Cameron opened her mouth to respond.

"Don't you dare give me a definition," he warned. She closed her mouth.

"John," Sarah began hesitantly. "We all knew that this was going to be a dangerous mission, but I think we can agree that given everything humanity has to gain—"

"What, mom?" John snapped. "That Cameron is an acceptable loss?" Cameron finally looked away. "Loosing Cameron is definitely _not _acceptable," he said with finality.

Cameron glanced back up, and John saw the human emotion he was looking for. Sorrow, and fear were written in her eyes. The thought suddenly occurred to him that he might never see her again, and it was as if the entire Pacific Ocean crashed into him in one crushing blow. He might never be able to hear her oddly textbook definition of the most mundane things; he might never be able to confide in her, to laugh with her, to be surprised by her. His wonderfully weird Cameron.

He forgot that his mother was there, that James and Catherine were watching. He just knew he had to get the words out, the words that until that moment he didn't know where true. "You can't go. I love you. I order you not to go."

"What the hell, John?" His mother exploded.

He didn't even so much at glance at the chaos around the room; he just looked at Cameron, and took a step closer.

She stared up at him, a smile starting on her lips, then she glanced behind him.

"You're really going to throw away the fate of the world because you can't part with a _machine?_" His mother said.

"So everything everyone's sacrificed was for nothing?" James demanded.

Cameron looked down. John knelt in front of her. "Screw the world," he said, feeling completely reckless. "Let's leave. Go to Switzerland. Or anywhere. Let someone else save the world. I'm done." He raised his voice loud enough for everyone else in the room to hear. "I'm done."

Her brows pulled together. "You can't… we can't…"

"Yes, we can," John said, smiling just at the thought. Giving up his responsibilities, running away—with Cameron. The thought was intoxicating.

She shook her head softly then met his gaze. "I have to do this. We have to finish this."

He frowned, "It's too dangerous, I'm not letting you go."

Cameron closed her eyes briefly then opened them. All trace of emotion was washed from her face. "You have to let me go, John."

"No," he said indignantly.

"Yes, John," she stared at him. "I am going. Because even if you successfully keep me from completing this mission, I will not run away with you."

He frowned, "Why the hell not?"

She looked at him, her face blank and unreadable. "Because I don't really love you John."

He blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You were right, the idea that a machine could feel the complexity of human emotion is completely absurd. To throw away the fate of the world on what is most likely a glitch in my programming and a irrational fondness on your part would be completely illogical."

John sucked in a breath, standing up. He thought fleetingly how he had just been worried about hurting Cameron in the way she just hurt him. How ironic. How cruel. She had spent the last 24 hours jerking him around in everyway possible, and he was done. And angry.

Turning on his heel, he marched to the stairs. "I'm taking a shower," he announced. "And Cameron?" her head turned expectantly. "I don't give a crap what you do."

John took a particularly long shower, hoping that she would have left by the time he got out; she hadn't. She was waiting for him, sitting on his bed—if it could be called that after one sleepless night.

"Thought you would have left by now," he said, picking up a shirt from the basket of laundry in the room and pulling it over his head.

"Cyberdyne doesn't open for another 20 minutes," Cameron said softly.

"Right. Well, good luck," he tried to fill his voice with dismissal.

"Before I go…" she paused. "You asked me why I displayed guilty behavior around your mother, last night when we first returned," she reminded him. Was it only last night? It could have been a lifetime ago.

"I remember."

"I thought, my initial calculations were that I'd have more time to talk to you, but with Catherine's research fully explained there really isn't any time to waste…"

"I get it," he snapped. "What is it you want to tell me?"

"When we were in the future I looked up Sarah in the database. John, she lived. In that alternate universe where I wasn't around she survived passed Judgment day, she lived to be 65 years old."

John blinked. He had found out some time ago that his mom would eventually get cancer and die; in a weird way he had come to accept it. But if what Cameron was saying were true—that his mother could still somehow keep from getting cancer…

"She has to get away from this fight, John," Cameron said echoing his thoughts. "Either the war has to end or she needs to go somewhere save… or both."

He nodded. He could save his mother. His mother who was undoubtedly furious at him right now. He winced at the thought.

"It's time," Cameron said, standing and walking to the door.

"How are you getting there?" John asked. He wasn't sure why he needed to know, but he did.

"James is dropping me off," she said. "Goodbye, John."

"Goodbye, Cameron."

She closed the door after her and with a soft click, the terminator he loved left his life.


	13. Chapter 13

John laid back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Cameron was gone. He took a breath. Cameron was gone.

There was a knock on his door. He shot up, practically jumping to the door. Irrationally he thought that it might be her. She might have come back, maybe she—It was his mom.

She crossed her arms across her chest, "You want to tell me what that was downstairs?"

He turned around, and flopped back on the bed. "Can we not, right now?" he asked, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm worried about you," Sarah said softly, shutting the door behind her.

He sighed. "What are the chances Cameron will make it?"

Sarah was quiet for a moment. "Not so great. She's taking James' stash of c4 to level the place once she uploads her software to international mainframe."

John sat up. "I thought the whole point of this was getting Cyberdyne to create machines like John Henry, not blow up the building."

Sarah nodded, "And they will make machines like John Henry, in their two, smaller buildings in Chicago and Austin, but they have some prototypes in this one that are too dangerous. We have to destroy them completely."

"What about the people?" John demanded.

Sarah looked at her watch. "In 45 minutes at 11:35, once Cameron bypasses the security and makes it to the back part of the lab I'll call in a bomb threat. We'll give them 4 minutes to escape while Cameron monitors the computer system to make sure no prototypes are removed, and then she'll detonate."

John swallowed, closing his eyes. So there really was no chance. He felt pin-pricks under his eyes and kept them closed. No need for his mother to see him crying.

"Look," she said, "I know I've been hard on you. And I know that it can be a little… daunting, being John Conner. I just hope you know," her voice waivered. "I hope you know that I love you and I do want you to be happy."

John pressed his lips together and nodded.

"You really do love her, don't you?" she asked, her voice full of bewilderment.

"Yes," he said coming out in a half sob. "I do."

Sarah nodded, and opened the door. "Then you should know, that I think that Cameron is the most human machine that will ever exist. And that she lied to you when she gave that little speech downstairs."

John looked at his mother quizzically. "Mom?"

"1254 Freemont way. The address for Cyberdyne," she said slipping out the door.

John took a breath. Then another. His feet knew what he was doing before his head caught on. Hastily he grabbed his boots, shoving them on. He pulled a baseball cap over his head. Running down the hall he found James' room, and in the back of his closet his FBI jacket. In the hall closet he pulled out two handguns, tucking one into the waistband of his jeans, the other in his boot.

He bolted down the stairs and out the door. Sarah was waiting on the front porch.

"I think I might do some weeding tomorrow, it might actually be a nice place to grow vegetables someday," she said nonchalantly, staring out at the would-be garden by the shed. Reluctantly she turned. "So you're going then." It wasn't a question.

John nodded, tears flooding his eyes. "I don't think we'll be coming back." Even if—once he got Cameron out, they would have to leave. Cameron was right, his mother needed to be safe, and if leaving was the only way to keep her from dying from cancer, well…

Sarah pulled him in for a fierce hug, "I love you my son," she whispered.

"I love you too, Mom," John choked.

She pressed car keys into his hands.

"You're still going to need to call in the bomb threat; hopefully I'll be able to get Cameron out in time, but there's no other way for me to get in," he said.

She nodded against his shoulder, then pulled back to kiss his cheek. "Go."

John sped down the road, cursing the traffic, and silently thanking his mother for having GPS in the car. Watching the minutes tick by on the dashboard while he was stuck at a crawl through downtown was a nightmare.

11:23

11:24

He had 11 minutes until his mom called in the threat to evacuate everyone, and then only 4 minutes to get Cameron out before—He honked at a slow moving truck. Was everyone out to get lunch right now?

11:28

Cursing, he pulled down a side street and parked. The GPS showed that he was 4 blocks away. Feeling like he was in some cheesy romantic comedy, he ran down the sidewalk. But there was nothing funny about this situation.

He reached the building and glanced at his watch.

11:32

He took a breath, running his fingers through his hair. It was a sleek, silver 5-story building that practically screamed 'we're building terminators here'. He stepped behind a car, out of the view of the building.

11:35

John wondered briefly how long it would take for the building to evacuate once his mother called in.

The double doors on the building burst open and a stream of panicked people poured out. John stood quickly, running around the side of the car and grabbed the first dweeb in a lab coat.

"FBI," he said authoritatively, "Where's your prototype lab?"

The man must have been in his 50s and looked thoroughly shaken. "Second floor, room 239."

John nodded and took off at a brisk pace into the building. A few people almost stopped him, but once they saw his jacket just kept moving. _Thank you James._ He thought to himself, walking through the now empty reception area. He found the entrance to the stairs off to the right and took off up them to the second floor, praying to a god he wasn't sure he believed in that Cameron would be there.


	14. Chapter 14

********* Well, this is it. You've all certainly waited long enough for it. Thanks for all your patience and kind words; I hope you enjoy the last chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it **************

John burst into the lab, glancing around the abandoned room full of mechanical gadgets, most of which had been covered in white cloth. He looked to the corner and saw her. She stood in the corner, her eyes closed, as if ready to accept her fate. Releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding he stepped further into the room, and let the door go behind him.

Her head snapped up, her eyes focusing immediately on his. Horror washed over her face. "John don't let the door—" He heard the click of the door behind him, but didn't turn to look.

"Cameron, there's no way I'm letting you do this," he said fiercely, stepping over to her. "Now come on, we're leaving."

She didn't say anything, instead rushed past him to the door, pulling frantically on the handle. It didn't budge. Not even under her massive strength.

Understanding hit him like a brick. "You rigged the doors," he said through numb lips.

"I didn't want my self preservation protocols to kick in."

He glanced over at the wall; the only window was over 12 feet up the wall, and about the size of an air vent. "I guess they really didn't want prying eyes," he muttered darkly.

He heard a loud crash and looked over in time to see Cameron pick herself off the floor and run at the door for a second time. It didn't budge. Funny how the door didn't feel so heavy when he first entered the room.

"Cameron," he said calmly, walking over to her. He was strangely peaceful at the idea of his death now, as the clock wound down on his last minute of life—maybe two. He was okay, now that he got to spend his last few moments with her. "Come here."

She shook her head, panic on her face. "If I can just—"

He gently, pulled her away from the door. "No, it's okay."

"No it's not OKAY, John!" She yelled. "You're not supposed to be here! I can do this, I'm just a machine, but you… you can't just do this! You're too important!"

Had they had more time, John would have pointed out the irony in the situation- the machine being emotionally distraught while the human was calm. "You're important to me," he said instead, "The most important person in my life."

She stood there frozen for a moment, just a heartbeat, and then she was in his arms. He wrapped himself around her then pulling back slightly kissed her with all the force he possessed. If one kiss was all they were going to have, he was determined that it would be a good one. Her hands curled in his hair as she pressed closer to him.

Finally after what felt like both a breath and a lifetime, she pulled away, resting her head on his chest as they both listened to his heartbeat.

"We never would have made a normal couple anyway," she mused softly.

John laughed. "I would have been disappointed if we were."

"John, I—" she broke off, and stepped away from him.

"What is it?" he asked, following her to a workbench where a white sheet had been haphazardly thrown over what looked like an old computer.

Cameron pulled the sheet away and John sucked in a breath. "Is that a—"

"Time machine." Cameron finished, already turning it on. "It's functional."

"Well, Cameron," John said stepping forward and lacing his fingers through hers. "When do you want to go?"

EPILOGUE

Ever since the explosion at 1254 Freemont way, Sarah spent most of her time in the garden. When James asked her why, she retorted sharply, "Because the carrots don't ask me how I feel today about losing my son."

Only for Savannah did Sarah ever make an effort, but even then she would tire and return either to her bedroom or garden after an hour or so. Three months she toiled and raked, watered and weeded, until the place was a veritable paradise of produce. All except for one troublesome spot. Nothing would grow right in the middle of her tomatoes. Finally, completely frustrated, Sarah took a shovel and dug. It only took her a minute before she found the culprit. It was a small wooden box, buried not too deep beneath the soil.

She brushed the dirt off the top and sucked in a breath when she saw a name revealed, etched into the wood. Her name.

She opened the lid, and found two things. One was a faded black and white photo, the other a letter. She peered at the photo, instantly recognizing Cameron who looked only slightly out of place in long white wedding gown and hat sporting a feather. But the man next to her in the suit, his arm around her waist, was both familiar and foreign. His eyes where the same kind eyes of her son, but the short cropped hair, the stubble on his face and the carefree grin, those were all the attributes of a man she had never met.

Hands trembling, she opened the letter.

Mom,

I am so sorry I wasn't able to send a message sooner that Cameron and I made it out of the building all right. It took us a while to find the house, what with it not existing in the first place, and then even longer to save up enough to buy the land and build the house, plant the garden and then decide the perfect spot to bury this letter—but then I suppose all that passage of time had no real effect, and the only time you'd experience is the time it takes you to find this letter. Time travel is still a little odd to me.

But we did make it out of the building, by time traveling to 1946. I have to say, I was hesitant about the time, but Cameron was right, after WWII, no one really cared too much about two teenagers just moving into town.

There's so much I want to tell you, Mom. I did finish school, so did Cameron, even though she worked nights at the factory, well she worked nights until she was promoted to manager within a month and now she runs the western division of Levi jeans. A lot of people were disgruntled about having a female boss, but Cameron showed them.

I'm a professor now, teaching at the local college, but I'm actually going to be running for governor next election. Cameron says I'm a shoe-in, but I think she's biased.

We got married, Mom. I wish you could have been there. But you were, in my heart.

There are still some things that are going to take getting used to—being married to a girl who will never age, never sleep, and never gets tired of correcting my grammar. But I know that we'll make it work.

I want to thank you, Mom. For making me the man I am today. I know that being a professor, and possibly an elected official isn't exactly the role that you had in mind for me, but I'm happy. Truly happy. And no Terminator has come to the past to try and kill us, so until that happens I'm going to hope for the best and say that if all the machines that are created in your future act like the one in my present, well, then the world has nothing to worry about.

I love you so much, Mom.

Your son,

John


End file.
